Nickelodeon Universe
For the outdoor amusement park: see Nickelodeon World. Nickelodeon Universe is the name of two indoor amusement parks located at Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota and American Dream Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey, consisting attractions and rides based on Nickelodeon’s popular franchises. The amusement parks are owned and operated by the Triple Five Group with licensing rights from ViacomCBS, who owns Nickelodeon. On August 18, 2009, Nickelodeon and Southern Star Amusement announced that a Nickelodeon Universe would be built in New Orleans, Louisiana to replace the former Six Flags New Orleans that was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and would open around the end of 2010. It was set to be the first outdoor Nickelodeon Universe theme park, but on November 9, 2009, Nickelodeon announced that it had ended the licensing agreement with Southern Star Amusements. Nickelodeon Universe Mall of America Nickelodeon Universe Mall of America (originally Knott's Camp Snoopy, later known as The Park at MOA) is the seven acre (28,000 m²) indoor amusement park located in the center of the Mall of America (MOA), in Bloomington, Minnesota, USA. Design Nickelodeon Universe is primarily lit by a glass ceiling, which is also the source of most of the heat for the Mall of America. It was originally built by Knott's Berry Farm. Unlike many indoor amusement parks, Nickelodeon Universe has a great deal of natural foliage in and about the park, and its floor has a wide variance in height - the highest ground level in the park is 15 feet above the lowest. This allows for a far more naturalistic experience than would normally be possible in an indoor amusement park. The Park has some small roller coasters, but mainly has flat ride due to space constraints. Near the Rugrats Reptarmobiles is the site of home plate for Metropolitan Stadium, which was located on the site of the Mall. History As Camp Snoopy The park was originally known as Knotts Camp Snoopy, and later, simply Camp Snoopy, and was themed around the Charles M. Schulz Peanuts comic strip characters. Camp Snoopy themed areas are still located at the following Cedar Fair parks: Cedar Point, Dorney Park, Knott's Berry Farm, Worlds of Fun, and Michigan's Adventure. Camp Snoopy was never aggressively themed to the Peanuts franchise; the park had a very outdoors and woodsy feel with more subtle references to the Peanuts franchise. Much of the original theming in Camp Snoopy fountain and all around the park were already toned down by the time the rights to the Peanuts characters were lost. Theming that was removed from the park prematurely and was never replaced include various kites near the ceiling, Charlie Brown and Lucy playing baseball above the Sports grill restaurant (although their baseball remained suspended in the air afterwards), theming in Snoopy fountain, the retheming of Snoopy Boutique the Snoopy Bouncer, and the Snoopy Shop Website featuring news on Camp Snoopy from 2000-2005. and much smaller theming. On April 7, 1998, New Horizon Kids Quest, Inc. opened a Kids Quest hourly child care facility in Knott's Camp Snoopy. The facility incorporated 17,385 ft² and served children ages six weeks to twelve years until it was removed in 2007. KidsQuest opens at Knott's Camp Snoopy April 7, 1998. In 2005, there were plans to revitalize the Camp Snoopy image, and a new logo was introduced in October, called the "roller coaster logo" to replace the "canoe logo", however this did not last long as there were even bigger and unexpected changes coming within the next few months. Nickelodeon Universe The park's new licensing deal and name, "Nickelodeon Universe", was announced on July 25, 2007.Carissa Wyant, MOA unveils Nickelodeon theme park name, Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal, July 25, 2007. Construction began on August 27, 2007 with work to be completed in sections so 80 percent to 90 percent of the park remains accessible at all times. Nickelodeon Universe was completed on March 15, 2008.Nickelodeon Universe and MOA set date for theme park opening New rides include SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge, a Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter style coaster themed after the Nickelodeon show SpongeBob SquarePants, the Splat-O-Sphere, a tower drop-ride in the center of the park, and the Avatar Airbender, a surf-rider attraction located in the center of the park as well. The shooting gallery beneath the Ripsaw/Orange Streak roller coaster was gutted, and was replaced by the Rugrats Reptarmobiles. The site of the Mystery Mine Ride was completely demolished to make way for SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge, a new Gerstlauer roller coaster. This site also included an Old Time Photography studio, and restrooms. Old Time Photography relocated into the mall (but not within the park) and restrooms did not return in this section of the park. Levy Restaurants partnered with Nickelodeon Universe to include a themed restaurant at the park. The restaurant is called EATS, and it is located in the former Park at MOA food court. On March 12, 2008, the Star Tribune reported that the price of ride points, daily wristbands, and, in particular, annual passes would take a significant price hike once the park transitioned to Nickelodeon Universe. The price for an annual pass, which has remained $99 per year since the park opened in 1992, will increase to $250, and daily wristbands will be raised from $24.95 to $29.95. Some decried the price increases as being unjustifiably high, when compared to other parks, such as much larger Walt Disney World at $249.95 and local park Valleyfair at $79.95-$99.95. Others defended the pricing as necessary to accommodate the millions of dollars of investment needed to rebrand the park as Nickelodeon Universe. New Mall of America rides put an extra nick in your wallet Rides/Attractions The park is free to enter, but the rides require patrons to purchase a varying number of tickets (points), depending upon the type of ride. Unlimited single rider wristbands or season passes are also available. Rides Dining *Caribou Coffee *Schwan's Ice Cream Cafe *Cool Treats *Hard Rock Cafe * Various carts featuring popcorn, ice cream, pretzels Former dining * Tall Timbers * Stampede Steakhouse * Mrs. Knott's Restaurant * Mrs. Knott's Picnic Basket * The Silver Stein-Festhaus * Festhaus Buffet * Hormel Cook Out * McGarvey Camp Bakery * EATS * Cool Treats * Schwan's Ice Cream Cafe (Replaced by Sweet Treats) * Slurp and Snack (Replaced by Grub) Retail *Nickelodeon Store *nuStuff (Nickelodeon Universe merchandise) *SpongeBob 4U *TOYS Former retail * 4U (Replaced by Peeps & Company, which eventually closed and became the Mall's second IT'SUGAR location called "Candy Universe". This IT'SUGAR location is now closed.) * NU Stuff (Replaced by Gear) * Candy Universe (Operated by IT'SUGAR) * American Girl Store Arcade *Namco Arcade Nickelodeon Universe American Dream '''Nickelodeon Universe American Dream '''is the 8-acre indoor amusement park at the newly-opened American Dream in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Design SOMEONE EDIT THIS PAGE! Anyone is free to edit! -KAA113 History In September 2016, the Triple Five Group announced that a second Nickelodeon Universe amusement park would fill the 8-acre indoor amusement park space at American Dream Meadowlands,] which will feature two world record-holding roller coasters. TMNT Shellraiser, a Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter, would hold the record for the steepest roller coaster drop at 121.5 degrees, and is based on a model seen in Japan. The second coaster, a Spinning Coaster called The Shredder, consists of four-passenger cars that spin on a vertical axis as it progresses down the coaster's track, and is the world's tallest and longest free spinning coaster, at 1,600 feet. Rides/Attractions SOMEONE DO THIS LIST! Anyone is free to edit! - KAA113 MOA References AD References SOMEONE FIND REFERENCES! Anyone is free to edit! - KAA113 External links * MOA Official Website * AD Official Website * Nickelodeon Universe for MOA Store Website * Local story on WCCO-TV 4 * Nickelodeon Universe MOA Information and Photos Category:Nickelodeon Category:Theme park attractions